The New York times has a looong story about John Cameron Mitchell’s new movie Shortbus. Mitchell is best known as the guy behind HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. Shortbus is a film about sexuality that includes actual sex scenes between actors who were cast because–well you kinda gotta read the article. Why is The Beat writing about it? Because one of the actors is Sook-Yin Lee, a Canadian music personality who is also an ex-girlfriend of cartooner Chester Brown and made a few comic book appearances here and there.

Ms. Lee seemed to be the most unsettled of the group. After just a few minutes of talking about her experience, she asked to take a break, in order to steady herself. âThereâs this assumption that everybodyâs really cool about their bodies,â? she said. âIâm not. Iâm as repressed as you are, maybe even more so.â?

She said she grew up devoutly Roman Catholic in Vancouver. She now lives in Toronto and is the host of an irreverent public radio program. Her bosses, she said, initially discouraged her from being in the movie. But she knew Mr. Mitchell, so she forged ahead, even though it meant that naked rehearsal. Even though it meant that marathon with Mr. Barker. Even though it meant masturbating in full view of camera.

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Sook-Yin Lee was once the lead singer of a great indy band called Bob’s Your Uncle. Saw them perform *years* ago (oh God… 17 years ago, to be precise, I’m depressed now). Great energy, great sense of humor.